UCLA softball picks up 2nd win against Oregon State behind pitcher’s career high

The Bruins are seeing double.

No. 2 UCLA softball (24-2, 7-1 Pac-12) recorded a 7-0 shutout victory in game two over Oregon State (15-19, 3-11) Saturday afternoon, clinching the weekend series after posting an identical 7-0 win the night before. Redshirt sophomore pitcher/first baseman Megan Faraimo recorded a career-high 17 strikeouts to secure the win.

The Bruin pitcher owned a no-hitter through four innings, allowing only one hit early in the fifth inning before that baserunner was stranded by the Beavers. This comes one day after redshirt senior pitcher/first baseman Rachel Garcia threw a no-hitter against the same team.

“Right as I started thinking about pitching a no-no, they got a hit, which seems to always happen,” Faraimo said. “But, as long as we’re getting the team back in the dugout so (the Bruins) can score on offense, I never really mind.”

Faraimo tallied at least one strikeout in each frame of the competition – including three perfect innings – en route to the team’s seven-run shutout victory.

The redshirt sophomore has overseen five clean sheets for the blue and gold so far this season.

“We really got to see Megan be Megan today,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “She’s a dominating pitcher and she has amazing abilities. She hasn’t necessarily had her best outcomes in the past couple of weeks, but today was outstanding. Pitching is not easy, but she does it well.”

After posting two early runs in the first frame, the bulk of UCLA’s scoring came in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a triplet of unearned runs for redshirt junior infielder Delanie Wisz, freshman outfielder Lauryn Carter and freshman infielder Thessa Malau’ulu because of an Oregon State fielding error.

A double from redshirt junior infielder Kinsley Washington that slid past the glove of Beaver pitcher/infielder Xiao Gin put a runner on with two outs as redshirt freshman catcher/first baseman Alyssa Garcia approached the plate.

Alyssa Garcia’s fourth-pitch swing sent the ball sailing over the right-field wall – clearing the bases and cementing the Bruins’ 7-0 win.

“I was so excited to have the opportunity to score for my team,” Alyssa Garcia said. “Megan was pitching amazing, so I wanted to keep the energy and stay calm.”

The long ball was Alyssa Garcia’s third career home run and UCLA’s 40th of the season.

With the win, the Bruins own a 17-0 home record, their best home start since 1999.

Inouye-Perez said UCLA will use the momentum from Saturday’s win to succeed in game three of the three-game series Sunday afternoon.

“Today they solidified the win, and tomorrow we go for the sweep,” Inouye-Perez said. “In game one we go for it, in game two we make adjustments – which we did today – and game three is the guts day. It’s the gutsy team that’s going to win.”